Cutter-head quick release



April 7, 1942. w. D. JoHNsoN CUTTER-HEAD QUICK RELEASE Original Filed March 21, 1927 Aand intended scope of the appended claims.

Reissued Apr. 7, 1942 22,061 CUTTER-HEAD QUICK RELEASE,

Wallace D. Johnson,

Yates-American M Beloit, Wis., assignor to achine Company, Beloit,

Wis., a. corporation of'rDelaware Original No. 1,763,928, dat

No. 177,026, March 21,

reissue July 12, 1939, Serial No.

ed June 17, 1930,- Serial 1927. Application for s claims. tol. 144-130) This invention pertains to wood-working machines, such as planers and matchers, and is particularly concerned with the way in which the side heads of the machines are withdrawn from Y e working position.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved release by means of which a side head may be quickly Withdrawn.

Another important object is to provide, in connection with such a release, an improved ad-i juster by means of which the working position of the side head may be accurately set and preservedv notwithstanding occasional withdrawals of the same from working position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and operation of the improved device.

One form of the invention is presented herein for the purpose of exemplification, but it will be appreciated of course that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other slightly diierent structural forms coming equally within the true In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side view of a woodworking machine, showing two of the quick release devices connected with two opposed side head units; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the machine frame and one of the quick release devices, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, showing in elevation the side head unit to which that particular device is connected.

The drawing illustrates fragmentarily a woodiworking machine which is provided with two side head units I0. Only one of the units may be observed in the drawing, however, for the reason that in Fig. 1 one of the units is totally obscured l,

by the other. The units are slidably mounted on spaced guide rails II, and are movable along the rails into or out of working position by means of two devices I2 which are connected with the units. The two devices, except for being reversed, in position, are substantially the same, and only that device which is connected with the unit shown in the drawing need therefore be described. The frame I3 of the unit is provided with a lug I4, and one portion of a rod I5 is in screwthreaded engagement with the lug. Another portion of the rod I5 is rotatably mounted within a tubular rack I6, and is held against endwise movement therein by a iixed collar I1 on the rod at one end of the rack and a removable collar I8 on the rod in the form of two interlocked nuts at the other end of the rack.

The rack I6 is slidably positioned within an aperture I9 in the frame 20 of the machine, and a pinion 2| is rotatably mounted in the frame in vmesh with the rack. A long hand lever 22 is secured to an axial extension 23 of the pinion, and is provided with a set screw 24 for abutment with the frame 20. lThe lever 22 moves the pinion 2|, and the pinion in turn moves the rack I6.

When the side head unit is in working position, the lever 22 extends downwardly, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and, when the unit is withdrawn'from working position, the lever extends outwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

A key 25 is rotatably mounted in the frame 20, and is provided with a semi-cylindrical portion `2li which occupies a key-way 21 in the rack I6 when the lever 22 is in working position. The purpose of the previously described set screw 24 is to bring the lever 22 to stop in a position where the key-way 21 in the rack is in alignment with the key 25. When the portion 26 of the key is Aturned into the key-way in the rack, the rack is locked against endwise movement and when the portion 26 is turned out of the key-way, the rack is free to move. The key 25 is turned into or out of locking .position by means of a handle 28 which is secured to one end of the same.

The working position of the side head may be -varied by turning the rod I5 in the rack, whereby to cause the rod to screw farther into or out of 0 rack against endwise movement, and the rod I5 is turned to bring the knives of the side head to the exact working position desired. To release the side head quickly for any reason without destroying adjustment in the working position of the same, it is merely necessary to turn the handle 28 to unlock the rack and then swing the lever 22 outwardly, whereupon the side head will be withdrawn to the extent indicated in Fig. 2. by the dotted line position of the end 29 of the rod I5. To return the side head again to the same working position, it is merely necessary to swing the lever 22 downwardly and turn the handle 28 to lock the rack.

The other side head unit may be adjusted and released in the same way. The device I2 assotion with a cutter head unit movable relative" to the machine, of a screw-threaded connection ,for adjusting the working position of the unit,

a pinionand rack connection for releasing the unit quickly from any adjusted Working position and returning it accurately to the same, and a hand lever for operating the pinion and rackr connection, said pinion and rac-l; connectionJ transmitting the movement of the hand. levez" directly to the unit, and said hand lever when.

moved in one direction rapidly retracting the unit from its adjusted working position `and when moved the same distance in the yopposite .direction rapidly returning the unit to its previously adjusted working position.

2. In a wood-Working machine, the combination with a cutter head unit movable relative to the machine, of means for adjusting the working position of the unit, and manually operated means connected with and acting through the adjusting means for releasing the unit quickly `from any adjusted working position and returning it .accurately .to the same, said manually operated means including a` member which when moved manually in one direction rapidly retracts .the unit from its adjusted working position and when moved manually the same distance in the opposite direction rapidly returns the movement to its previously adjusted working position.

3.. In a Wood-working machine, the combination with a cutter head unit movable relative yto .the machine, of a quick release comprising a rack connected with the unit, a Vpinion 4meshed with .the rack, readilyreleasable means .for locking the unit in its Working position, a hand lever connected with .the .pinion for turning the same,

`wherebyto move the unit, .and means for adjustably limiting the extent to which Lthe hand lever may be swung in the working position of the unit.

4. In `a wood Working machine, the combination with a side head `unit movable laterally of `the machine, of a quick release comprising va rack. .connected with 4the unit for moving .the

same laterally `of the machine, a pinion meshed'y with the rack, a hand lever connected with the pinion for Iturning the same whereby .to move the unit laterally, ,and readily releasable means to lock the 4unit against such lateral movement.

5.. In a wood-Working machine, the combination with a side head unit movable laterally of the machine, of a quick release comprising a rod having ,a screw-threaded connection with the unit, .a rack connected with the rod in such a way as to prevent endwise. movement but permit rotary movement, a pinion meshed with the rack, a `hand lever `connected with the pinion lfor 'turning the same whereby to move the rack,

rod and unit, and means for turning the rod in `the rack whereby to adjust the position of .the unit relative to vthe rack, said hand lever when moved in one direction causing the .unit to be retracted from its working position `to an inoperative `position and when Amoved in the .op-

posite direction through the same angle causing the unit to return to its original working position.

6. In a wood-working machine, the combination with a side head unit movable laterally of the machine, of a quick release comprising a rack connected with the unit, a pinion meshed with the rack, a hand lever connected with the pinion for turning the same whereby to move the unit, a key movable into a transverse groove `in the rack, and means for moving the key into 4, thegroove whereby to lock the rack, said hand lever when moved in one direction causing the unit to be retracted from its working position to an*l inoperative position and when moved in the opposite direction through the same angle l.causing the unit-tc return to its original working position.. n

7, In a wood-working machine, the combination with a cutter head unit movable relative to the machine from a rigidly held Working position to `an out-ozf-the-Way inoperative position, of means connected with the unit for adjusting the working position of the unit and holding the latter rigidly in its adjusted position, and manually operated means connected with and acting through said adjusting means for releasing and rapidly retracting the unit from any adjusted working position into said inoperative position and for rapidly returning the unit from its inopelative position accurately into the same adjustedl working p osition,` said manually oper- .ated `means including a member which when moved manually in one direction rapidly retracts the unit from its adjusted Working position and when thereafter moved manually the same distance in the opposite direction rapidly returns the unit to its previously adjusted working position. y

8. `In a wood-working machine, the combination with ,a cutter head unit movable relative to the machine from a rigidly held working position to an .outrof-the-way inoperative position, .of 3.a screw connected with the unit for adjusting the working position of the unit and holding the latter rigidly in its adjusted position, and manually operated means connected with and acting through said screw for releasing and rapidly retracting the unit from any adjusted working position into said inoperative position and for rapidly returning the unit from its inoperative .position accurately into the lsame adjusted Working position, said means consisting of a swingable hand lever, a motion-converting device connecting the screw with the lever for causing axial movement of the screw upon swinging movement of the lever, means for ,stopping the swinging movement of the lever in .an aocurately predetermined position when the unit is returned ,to its working position, and means for locking the leverjin such position against inadvertent movement in the opposite direction.

9. In a wood-working machine, the combination with `a cutter head t to the machine, of a screw threaded connection for predetermined adjustment of the working v'position of the unit, a readily releasable locking means for .holding the .unit in its predetermined adjusted position, and manually operated means connected 'with and operating through the .ad-

justine means for releasing the unit ,quickly .rom its :adjusted working 'position :upon vrelease ofi the looking means -andlfor returning yit aeouratjelyto :its adjusted working position.

` JOHNSON.

unit movable -relative 

